Surface mount soldering is the process of creating circuits using surface mount technology (SMT) components that are mounted directly onto the surface of printed circuit boards (PCBs). SMT technology is a key driver in the ever-important work of miniaturization of circuits, allowing for smaller, lighter devices with ever-increasing capabilities. Today’s cell phones have exponentially more […]
Solder paste flux is a gelatinous chemical compound used mainly in combination with solder powder to create solder paste, generally mixed as a 50/50 ratio. Once combined, the paste is a gray, putty-like material. Solder paste flux serves a threefold purpose: Removing any oxidized metal from the surfaces to be soldered Sealing out air, preventing […]
Solder paste can be made with a variety of solder powder sizes. Solder powder sizes are classified by Type in the IPC standard J-STD-005 Requirements for Soldering Pastes. Table 3-2 details the solder powder size ranges for each type, and an excerpt from the table is shown below*. *IPC J-STD-005A Requirements for Soldering Pastes, […]
